My Summer Away from the Computer

Hey all! I'm sorry that I haven't blogged in so long. This has been a crazy summer for me in a lot of ways, and the funny thing is, I've been swamped in everything but music. Even so, I can't say I haven't learned a lot this summer.

Italy was a completely incredible experience. Aside from the beautiful sights, I witnessed a quality of life that people in America unfortunately don't get to experience. Americans may be some of the most fortunate people in the world, but what I'm referring to is not financial success. I never realized how little time we have to enjoy the life we work so hard to maintain, and how stressed we are in comparison to other cultures. I was delighted to watch the Italian people enjoying life - relaxing at cafes, eating gelato, and drinking wine in the middle of the day when most Americans would be at their 9 to 5 jobs. I found myself envious, wishing that I could say goodbye to my neurotic tendencies and take in the simple pleasures all around me.

Picture I took of the Amalifi Coast. If I saw this view every day, I'd be enjoying life like the Italians do!

That being said, I found that I needed a break from everything. My obsession with facebook and twitter started to dwindle, and I'm sorry to say that I wasn't very thrilled to touch the computer at all (hence my lack of blog posts). My office job probably didn't help either, because I began to associate being on the computer with work. What I really needed was to get away from it all - to learn how to relax. Before Italy, my version of relaxing would have been to stare at facebook because I had free time, but this just stopped cutting it for me. I needed to sit down, ignore my phone, forget about facebook, and be in a place where no one could contact me. In a day and age where everyone can be reached within seconds, we all deserve to be unavailable from time to time.

Now, that doesn't mean that I don't love you all. To those of you who read my blog posts, thank you. To all my facebook and twitter followers, I thank you as well. You're all wonderful, and I really do enjoy reaching out to you through all of these amazing forms of social media. I just wish I could meet all of you face to face, because there are so many great things I'll never know about you simply by checking out your online profiles. 

Wishing you all peace of mind, in a world that never stops,

Leila

Lesson on Writer's Block: Go to Italy

I couldn't be more excited right now. In two hours I'll be leaving for Italy, which means I'm about to partake in two weeks of memorable experiences. Considering that I'm leaving so soon, I should probably finish up the rest of the packing I still have to do, but I couldn't fight the urge to write this little blog post.

I have a very funny feeling that this trip to Italy might be the cure for my writer's block. The thing is, being a songwriter is much more complicated than just being a musician (not to say it's better or worse - it's just different). Classical and jazz musicians need to practice for hours a day to keep up with their instruments, and this kind of dedication sometimes requires a bit of isolation from the outside world. Unfortunately, the ability to write usually competes with this necessary isolation, because staying locked in a room all day doesn't inspire someone to write anything meaningful. A huge part of being a songwriter is living life so that you can write about it, and that's exactly what I'm about to do. I'm taking a step back from the piano, and going out to live life for a little while. The truth is, most inspiration comes from the outside world, not the practice room. So maybe I'll find it in Italy. 

Who knows? Maybe when I come back I won't be able to stop writing.

Ecstatic beyond belief,

Leila

Hello Summer!!!

Hey all! Sorry I've fallen off the face of the earth for the past couple of weeks! I just finished my junior year of college, moved into an apartment, and started my new job for the summer. Needless to say, things have been a little nuts these days, but I'm glad to be back on track. Time to have a ball in good old NYC! (and Italy, which I will definitely have to post about as soon as I come back...)

My odd schedule for the summer has been making it super hard to book gigs, but I'm doing the best I can. As of now, I have a full set scheduled at the Bitter End on August 11. Although this seems incredibly far away,I'm super excited for it because it's my first time headlining there.

"What do you mean?" you ask. "Didn't you just play there two weeks ago and once before that?"

Well, yes. But I'll tell you why this show is different.

The past two times I've played at the Bitter End, I was a part of a thing called "Singer-Songwriter Sessions." For these events I would always play acoustic for exactly half an hour, and I would be one of many artists who played that particular night. "Singer-Songwriter Sessions" would also be on Sunday nights, which were sometimes difficult for people who had work or school in the morning. Nevertheless, I still had a great time, and I was happy to be a part of it.

The thing that separates my August 11th show from the past two Bitter End shows I've done is that this one is MY show. I'll be playing with a band for 50 minutes, and my sister Omnia (check out her website) will be opening for me - PS. she's awesome, and that's not my sibling-bias talking.

So that's just the beginning of what I have planned for the summer. Of course I will try to write and perform as much as I possibly can - that being said, I'll also make sure to live life a little so that I have something to write about.

Stay tuned.

Love and light,
Leila

PS - I'll be leaving for Italy next week, so if that's not inspiration, I don't know what is. ;)

SHOW THIS SUNDAY @ the Bitter End!!

Hey there! Just so you know, you are about to hear from someone who is truly ecstatic. I just finished all my finals, papers, etc. and now I'm can actually work on some music again!! All of these academic things have really been cutting into my songwriting time (and blogging time) these days. On the bright side, I'm going into my senior year of college and ready for a whole summer of writing and performing.

So Sunday (that's right, THIS SUNDAY, May 22nd) at 7pm sharp I will be playing an acoustic set at the Bitter End in NYC!! As you may have read in earlier posts, I think the Bitter End is an awesome venue. It's piano-friendly, which means that I don't have to lug my giant keyboard, and it just has a really cozy vibe overall. Not to mention that it has been frequented by so many incredible musicians, including but not limited to Patti La Belle, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and my girl, Etta James.

Here's a little photo from my last show at the Bitter End!

This will be my first show of the summer (well, almost summer) and I'll definitely be playing as many shows in the NYC area as I possibly can. So watch out, NY! You'll be seeing a lot of me.

For other details on my Bitter End show this week you can click here and check out the facebook event. I'm so excited, and I really hope you guys can come out!

Love,
Leila

Playing Acoustic vs. Playing With a Band

Hey all! So in case you guys were wondering, both shows went great!! Even though I was sick as a dog, coughing my brains out, and somewhat delirious, everything actually went pretty smoothly.

I ended up playing Thursday's show fairly acoustic, only performing with my band for half the set. My abilities to let it rip over the band were limited, and I decided to make my performance more soft and intimate. Saturday, my set was entirely acoustic, and although I feared sounding like a cartoon character (I was SICK), I really felt that I was able to connect with audience on a deeper level.

So here's the question of the day: would I rather play acoustic or with a band?

To tell you the truth, I have mixed feelings. I always love playing with solo piano because it allows me a lot more artistic freedom and it feels more personal. Since the songs are admittedly about my own life experiences, I sometimes feel that I can tell an even greater story when I play alone. However, there is something special about playing with a band that I can't get when I play alone. Obviously there is always a certain sense of camaraderie among all the musicians, but I especially love hearing other people that I play with bring my songs to life. It's just awesome.

I guess it all depends on the mood I'm in, and what's appropriate for the venue I'm playing. Whenever I want to have more direct and intimate conversation with my audience, I'll probably play acoustic. That's when I feel the songs are the most honest. The space that isn't filled by the band really allows people the room to think about what I'm saying, and allows me to make my performance even more dramatic. All the pauses can be longer, and I can hold on to each word for as long or short a time as I want. However, if the setting is a little bigger, louder, and more suited for head-bobbing, I'll probably play with a band. I've grown a great deal as a performer by doing both.

I'll leave you guys with two videos of "Monday." One with my band, one acoustic. You guys can decide which version you like better. ;-)

Ciao!

Two Shows This Week!!

Hey kids! So as you can see by the title of this post, I have two shows this week!! I'm a little sick at the moment, but I'm trying not to let my scratchy throat get in the way of my optimism. They say a positive attitude is everything.

 My first show this week is on Thursday at the Student Center of Purchase College. The event is called "Women Out Loud," and it's put on every semester by the Alternative Clinic (the women's health clinic on campus) to celebrate all the vibrant women out there. Without giving too much away, the focus is on a woman's pride in her mind, body, and sexuality, which is often a taboo in most societies . Whatever the case, I dig it, and I think it's freaking great - I'm always delighted to support events like this.

Now onto my second show! This Saturday night at 9:30, I'll be playing at Gallery 151 in Manhattan (350 Bowery on the lower east side). This place has a really interesting history, and although I've never been there, I can tell that it has a cool vibe. Founded in 2007, this hip Soho building is actually covered in graffiti, which the renovation developers discovered when they tore down the sheet rock on the inside walls. After realizing what kind of cool artwork was underneath, the main building developer decided to display it proudly as a testament to NYC art. Kinda cool, right?

So to sum it all up, I'm really excited to perform this week! Both of the shows I'm playing represent causes that I'm really passionate about (art and womanhood), and I'm thrilled to lend my voice to them.


Wish me luck!
Leila

Ray Charles: Piano Love

Believe it or not, a piano is just like a human being. In any healthy relationship with you have with another person, you always have to find a balance between being firm and knowing when to back down. I'm finding more and more that playing piano is very similar. All of the great piano players that I've heard have this balance between firmness and flexibility down to an art.

The other thing I've noticed about people who play piano very well is that they don't just play with their fingers. They play with their entire bodies. No, I don't mean that they play the piano with their elbows, their heads, or any other odd combination of body parts. What I mean is they don't just sit there like they're having a tea party. They move with the piano, flow with it, and put physical energy into the notes they play.

The best example I can give you is Ray Charles, one of my own personal idols. Ray is a great example because event though he couldn't see, DAMN could he feel. Check out this video and you will understand exactly what I mean. 

The sound quality on this particular video isn't great, but the visual really represents the idea that I'm referring to. Ray Charles was someone who had a deep connection with the piano as if it were a person. When you watch this video, you can see how he really moves with the music, feels the subtleties, and puts his entire body and soul into what he is playing. I get chills just watching this, and I can only hope that one day I will develop these skills to such a degree . I think the most important thing to observe here is that Ray looks completely relaxed, as if he's jamming out in his living room rather than playing in front of millions of people. It's like he's not thinking at all. Food for thought: Maybe the key to being a good musician is to stop thinking so hard?!

"Master your instrument, master the music, and then forget all that bullshit and just play." -Charlie Parker